


After the Curtain Falls

by Archaema



Category: Shadowrun, World of Warcraft
Genre: Corporate Intrigue, F/F, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Shadowrun AU, Sylvaina NYE 2021, Unclear Pasts, a bit of wlw thirst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28397844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archaema/pseuds/Archaema
Summary: All the top tiers of the Corporate Council traditionally receive an invitation each year for the New Year's Eve celebration, held in it's lavish headquarters.To Jaina Proudmoore, it's a chance to show make a show of her strength to all those who had though she'd been de-fanged.To Sylvanas Windrunner, it's an evening to make a grand show telling them all that she yet lives.
Relationships: Jaina Proudmoore/Sylvanas Windrunner
Comments: 21
Kudos: 95
Collections: Warcraft New Year's Prompts





	After the Curtain Falls

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to BZArcher, Uninspired Poet, and others for helping with some review/proof-reading and double-checking my characterization after my hiatus from Sylvaina writing.

As she passed through the brass-gilded double doors, she felt the eyes upon her.

There were always eyes upon her.

It was why she consciously made the effort of leaving her hands loose at her sides, instead of clenching them as fists. 

It was why she kept her chin aloft, instead of staring at the floor. 

It was why she carried herself with pristine posture, no sign of slackened shoulders or slouching the slightest bit.

So much rancor, poured over her in a drenching cascade that seemed to never cease.

The corner of her lip lifted in a satisfied smirk.

Pulling an errant few white hairs from her face, she took in the assembled personages that had ceased their small talk to absorb the surprise at her arrival. Familiar old acquaintances, some even friends once upon a time, blended with plenty of newer presences that were barely worth consideration. Some, she was certain, she had never seen in person before.

The definitive clack of her white heeled boots made a chill of satisfaction run up her spine as she crossed the floor, most of the guests more than happy to part and leave room for her.

Indeed, most did not return to their former places as she passed, as if cautious of her wake.

She extended her hand toward the young man before her, caught between the end of a broad refreshment table and a series of gaudy potted plants decorated with ribbon and golden trim.

He took a half step back, before he set his jaw and swallowed nervously, the hesitation passing quickly.

“Aunt Jaina.” His hand met hers with a firm but gentle pressure as he set aside the tall glass he had been holding.

“Anduin,” she replied coolly, “I’d hardly recognize you.” Despite the cold formality, there was a glint of knowing compassion in her blue eyes.

“You know how business is,” Anduin replied, frowning. “When I got put in charge after dad’s… Well, after everything happened, I suddenly didn’t seem to have my own schedule or life anymore.”

“I can’t imagine.”

“I mean, of course, you know what it’s like,” Anduin said hurriedly to the sardonic grin that had taken over Jaina’s face.

“I do,” she agreed, glancing from side to side to monitor the crowd around them again. “Like this function. All of the corporate CEOs and upper staff are expected to attend, after all. Even the pariahs.”

Anduin sighed, giving a pleading spread of his hands. 

“I’m sure it’s not that bad, Aunt Jaina-”

“Please, Anduin. You’re much smarter than that,” she murmured, allowing herself one moment of a downcast gaze. “The sooner you work out that we’re allowed no humanity, the better.”

“I am trying to make sure it’s different.”

“So did I.”

“I’m going to learn from what happened to you, from your-”

“My mistakes?” Jaina’s wry smirk returned.

“I mean-” Anduin had gone red in the face, and looked desperate to rescind what he’d been about to say.

“No, it’s quite all right. You’re right, I made mistakes.”

Anduin took a deep breath and sighed.

“Dad always said people didn’t give you a fair accounting on that.”

Jaina shrugged, dismissively waving his peace offering away with a hand.

“Which, the Stratholme Research Facility, or the Dalaran Lockdown?”

“Well I mostly heard stories about Stratholme, and what happened after that.”

She reached out, putting her hand on his shoulder firmly.

She noted at least two men in crisp black suits with blue and gold trim reflexively twitch, their holsters surely not far from their fingers.

An amused, derisive snort escaped her, and she shook her head.

“My boy,” she said softly. “My dear nephew, if I am to teach you any last thing, remember this. We are all, always, going to end up the villain to someone.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, closing his eyes in a heartfelt wince.

“I just happen to have done it very effectively and pissed off ninety percent of the corporate council,” she added, smug elation seeping into her voice even despite the confidential tone.

“Jaina, you’re not helping,” Anduin said, somewhere between a begrudging tone and a laugh.

“I help myself,” Jaina corrected him. “And you help yourself. Remember, we can be acquaintances - maybe even friends, but we put our own interests first. It’s how this game is played.”

“I mean that’s mostly what I get told. Except old man Genn tells me I really can’t have friends, either.”

“Yes, well, Genn is what we call a Grade A asshole,” Jaina promptly stated.

Anduin bit at the side of his cheek in frustration, shaking his head. “He’s not really that bad, if you-”

“Oh shush, Anduin, he’s a bastard and you know it. He’s just got bigger fish to fry and needs the friends.”

“I have to drop this line, don’t I?”

“Highly recommend it,” Jaina confirmed.

“I’ll get your e-mail address,” Anduin said, hands up defensively. “We’ll have lunch. We do really need to talk.”

Jaina turned, scanning the room again. More faces, mostly avoiding her instead of trying to rip her to shreds with their judgmental gazes, and more potential confrontations. It could be quite an interesting night, and if so, best to take the good before it was out of reach.

She half-turned to look back at Anduin, a faint and rueful smile reserved just for him.

“All right, Anduin.”

That, at least, seemed to make the young man happy.

 _Damn_ , she thought, _already letting your guard down. No more of that tonight._

There was the option of finding a corner or other conspicuous spot and simply haunting the event like some vengeful statue of ancient times, but she quickly determined that she would prefer to mingle.

In this case, mingling meant circulating through the room, eavesdropping and making the other CEOs and upper management feel deeply uncomfortable. If one was to have a terrifying reputation, after all, it was best to make use of it.

It would, she figured, also provide a lovely opportunity to investigate the garish decorations lining the hall. Cool blue LED displays flashing out the ‘Happy New Year 2065’, garlands of spun silver and gold that used currents to make them flex and bow like they were in the wind, and holographic displays of ivy were coordinated through the expansive room, no doubt the efforts of some ridiculously overpaid consultant - or someone who owed their life to the hosting corporation.

She ran down the checklist as she perused.

Anduin, representing Stormwind Commerce and Communications.

Genn, whom she considered only slightly less frigid than herself, the owner of Gilneas Natural Material Requisitions, was stalking around the refreshments table, already talking to Anduin. She imagined he was going to be rather sore that he had missed the chance to ward her away from speaking with Anduin. 

_Ah_ , she thought smugly. _There it is_.

Genn’s eyes, an unusual shade of gold, locked on her with a ferocious loathing bubbling within them.

_There’s nothing you can do about it now, you bastard._

One would never have known looking at her, but it put a bit more lightness in her step to see him biting down his frustration.

Others caught her attention, but she could hardly spare any concern over them. Tyrande, Lor’themar, Baine, and more. Friends and allies, once, when she had tried so hard to resolve some of the glaring wrongs of the world.

Ah. And Go’el, retired as he was, had even shown up.

The orc was commiserating with Lor’themar and Baine, their imposing forms enhanced by their tailored suits. They were off near the balcony doors, laughing about something or another. Jaina could not be bothered to try and eavesdrop on them - the monotony and facile fraternity of it had a high chance of making her nauseous.

Her mental inventorying of the attendees continued apace, as she continued through the room. Some stayed and continued their conversations, but even the boldest looked away and hushed their voices to try and minimize their discomfort at her presence.

Ultimately, it was futile. Jaina didn’t rely on listening devices or special aids to hear their conversations; such tools were carefully screened and limited to normal human hearing ranges for any of those attending the council’s new year’s eve event.

She used magic.

Subtle scrying magic was not the same thing as the fiery or icy arcane destruction that was so popular in the shows and movies filling the digital networks of the world. Occasionally it showed up as a plot point, or as a particularly devious weapon of mind control. There were ways of raising barriers and protections against some things, but simple sensory enhancements, and even most thought-invasive magic was no simple task to counter.

As one of the eminent users of the arcane in the corporate world, and indeed the people of the world at large, caution was something expected.

Jaina had, for so very long, committed herself to never breaking the sacred trust and violating the thoughts or actions of others with her knowledge and skill.

In the end, it had gained her nothing, and her vows had been broken.

It was not that she did not understand why people were derisive and fearful toward her at best, nor why some had hearts that blazed with justified rage for her that made her spiteful.

No, it was the idea that they could push her, prod her, and drive her beyond all reason until she lashed out at last, and then had the utter temerity to pillory her for it.

Even her friends had spared no perceptible sympathy for what she had been forced through.

So it was that in the back of her mind, she entertained the idea that should could very easily indeed break all the rules of the corporate council and fill the room with enough ice and lightning to turn it into a tomb that would be undisturbed for centuries - give or take a few years, depending on how genuinely angered she was.

“I heard if you don’t make eye contact, wizards can’t read your thoughts,” she heard.

It made her raise an eyebrow, and she canted her head ever so slightly to inspect who had uttered such nonsense.

“That’s nonsense,” the woman next to the first speaker said. “Honestly, Lorna, where do you get these ideas?”

“Books, you know? When I wasn’t on the range, and all.”

“Yeah I read books too, dad insisted, and there was nothing that ridiculous.”

Jaina allowed herself a guarded but amused huff through her nose, shaking her head. Naive, the both of them, but it was almost endearingly cute. If nothing else, it made her thoughts of immediate magical fury rescind a bit.

“Jaina, it’s been too long.” The voice behind her was an unwelcome distraction from the young women’s conversation, Jaina releasing a long sigh before she turned to face the one who had dared approach her.

“Go’el,” she said, voice low as she turned around to match his blue-eyed gaze with her own. “It hasn’t been nearly long enough.”

“I’m sorry,” he replied, a broad hand lifting in a conciliatory gesture. “I know things got out of hand.” There was no effort to mask the genuine sorrow in his words.

“Out of-” Jaina balked, eyes wide. “Out of hand? Out of hand!”

“Damn, I-”

“Tell me, how’s your family doing?” The sudden shift caught Go’el off guard, but he recovered quickly.

“Aggra is well, and the kids are-”

“Well, yes?”

“...Yes,” he agreed, nodding.

“Well, isn’t that fortunate that they get to enjoy being alive. As you are intimately familiar, the Theramore Arcodome was home to a large population of families.”

“Jaina, that’s not really a reasonable comparison. It’s not fair at all.”

“I know, it’s not like you hired saboteurs to damage our atmospheric systems and killed a few thousand people. It was just your hand-picked successor’s work,” Jaina kept her voice calm and level, but the fury was tangible, her words practically singing with grievance. “Excellent choice, by the way.”

“And what about what you did in Dalaran, then? You were in charge of the premier magical college in all of the world, and what did you do with that position?”

It was not unlike throwing cold water on Jaina, a moment of shock on her face. Her eyes went wide in an instant, and then narrowed to dangerously glowing blue slits.

Unfortunately, it was also akin to throwing water on to a grease fire.

“Are you quite sure you want to bring up another incident that happened because of your most worthy of successors betraying any and everyone he could? You know, I really believed that you were all in on peaceful conflict solutions and technology around it. I wanted to see those things happen, once.”

“Jaina, of course I want peaceful relations! For everyone!” Go’el said, voice raising.

Were her voice any colder, ice would have crystallized in the air as she spoke. “And how is that going?”

Go’el quickly realized his misstep, and tried to immediately reel their course back onto less unstable rails. He took a slow breath to steady himself, and ran a hand back through his hair with an apologetic sigh.

“It’s never easy, you know that. SCC is always claiming they’re open to negotiations, but they don’t trust us.”

That, at least, brought a wry smile to Jaina’s lips.

“You did take in Forsaken Architecture.”

“LCP was dead, and you know it,” Go’el said. “And they brought Silvermoon Virtual Technologies in.”

The roll of Jaina’s eyes clearly indicated she had no interest in Go’el regurgitating history to her.

“Either way,” he continued, grimacing slightly, “there’s a lot of factors in play, just like always. Wouldn’t you rather be part of the solution?”

Jaina scowled, and for a moment, bit at her lip to contain herself. The nerve to ask her to be helpful, to try and solve problems for all the various companies and governments that had been the same ones who had ruined every pursuit she had undertaken was almost too much to bear.

But bear it she did.

“Go’el,” she said simply.

He gave a single nod, and she could see in his eyes the ghost of hope that always seemed unquenchable in the orc. He was ready for her to lash out, or to politely decline, or even to turn right around and answer with silence.

“I’ll tell you what, Thrall,” she said, lifting a hand and painstakingly examining her manicured nails. “Have your agents send me a proposal. I know you’ve still got plenty of contacts, after all. We’ll give it a fair evaluation.”

The old, familiar name elicited a moment of surprise, his lips parting silently before he nodded.

“Thank you, Jaina, I will personally make sure it’s done.” There was visible relief in him, the tension seemingly melting away. 

_Perfect,_ Jaina nodded. _We can milk the deal for everything it’s worth, then get some disposable assets to liquidate your end of the bargain._

As if such an offer could ever have erased the history of failure and the scars that had been inflicted on Jaina - Fate seemed intent to pursue her and turn everything she ever sought to accomplish into a sick joke. Indeed, as far as she was concerned Go’el probably only had real interest since she was a player again, back in power.

She had long since decided that if it were all to be a joke, she would be the one laughing.

With a dismissive wave of her hand, she turned and began scanning the room again. The groups had shifted, some granting more space, others listening in. Some were discreet, while others were more content to gawk.

 _Let them,_ she figured. _If you think I’m giving in, then you can make fools of yourselves by trying to take advantage just like Thrall._

With a brief glance at her portable, she noted the time. Midnight drew ever closer and with it, the impending arrival of the new year. 

2065.

That she should live to see such a thing made her almost laugh. When she’d been young, she expected a nice, long life filled with books and aiding those who were most under the heel of society.

Anymore, she expected someone to finally succeed at killing her any day as revenge for something or another that she could hardly even keep track of.

There was, though, the more immediate matter of what to do with the next few minutes that would seal 2064 in history. Something flashy would be ideal, she figured. Something to hammer home into all the other corporate executives and their sycophants just how much disdain she felt for them.

There was a brief flicker of the lighting, some unexpected power surge testing the building’s expensive infrastructure.

It bought a raised eyebrow from Jaina.

“Curious,” she murmured under her breath.

Another flicker hit.

“Well, now you have my attention,” Jaina said.

The lights winked out, even the various decorative holograms and lighting strands, aside from a few red garlands of LED light that lined some of the rafters and small decorative trees. It cast the whole room in a crimson pallor.

Hushed whispers of surprise quickly bubbled forth, ready to boil over at the slightest provocation.

Instead, something commanded their silence.

“Have you missed me, my good sirs and madams?”

Even Jaina had to admit that the sly, haunting voice made her blood briefly run cold. From everywhere and nowhere it seemed to come, something utterly unnatural tainting what was once a beautiful voice.

 _No,_ Jaina resolved, _it’s still beautiful. It’s just not what most people can appreciate._

She recognized the scars on the soul that made such a melody.

Indeed, it was the only sound in the room.

“Why so silent? Surely an invitation to all the CEOs of the Azeroth Corporate Council includes any of us,” she taunted liltingly. “Surely it includes me.”

“Windrunner,” replied a voice from the crowd. “Simply put, you were unexpected.”

Jaina scanned and quickly picked out the shock of gray hair. 

Genn.

 _Oh,_ she thought, _this is going to be rich. I may have to give up sweets for a month._

“Of that, I am sure,” replied the new visitor. “Yet here I am. How embarrassing - for you.” There was no mistaking the smug glee, though she did well at keeping it from becoming too excessive.

“Sylvanas, I am in no mood to litigate the concerns and potential filings levied against you and your company by some of the people here tonight,” Genn growled. “I thought it was sufficient to not formally extend an invitation.”

“You bargained on my being ignorant,” Sylvanas retorted, “and now you look the fool.”

The balcony’s door slid open, a rush of chill air swirling into the room.

“It suits you, of course.”

“You come to a sanctioned event and have the audacity to insult another member of the council?” A different voice called out, Jaina identifying the owner swiftly as Lor’themar. “This is not the behavior I’d expect of you.” There was injury masked in those words, just barely perceptible.

In the carmine glow, Sylvanas stepped in, her long coat whipping about her as her eyes, points of red to match, swept over the occupants. 

“You know better than most that times have wrought their changes on me,” Sylvanas said.

“‘Changes?’” Genn growled. “You’d be better off dead.”

 _Ah,_ Jaina thought as she noticed him tightening his grip on the sleek cane he had brought to the New Year’s Eve celebration, _that’ll defuse things. Good job, Genn._

“That isn’t helping,” Anduin interjected, his frown visible even in the poor light.

 _I knew there was at least something good in that head of yours,_ Jaina thought with a nod.

It earned a distant look, as Sylvanas narrowed her eyes. The burned trails of black that were etched into her grayed flesh beneath her eyes were like voids, and for a moment she truly looked a ghost imposing on the mortal world.

“In the end,” Sylvanas whispered, “death comes for us all.”

“And is that why you’re here tonight?” Baine’s sonorous voice was like a soothing balm, easing the tension noticeably. Hushed voices began to pick up again, a dozen different conversations speculating at what Sylvanas meant to accomplish by appearing there.

Her boots tapped against the smooth floor as she strode further in, as she began to circle around, like a stalking phantasm.

“Maybe,” she said simply.

“Knowing that we all must attend unarmed, you have great opportunity,” Baine said. “But is that what you truly want? Hollow vengeance? You must know many of the true culprits are long gone from this world.”

“I assure you, I am not disinterested in finding out how it would feel.”

“You should know,” Go’el said, stepping up beside Baine, “that Jaina Proudmoore is here.”

Jaina blinked in surprise.

“Is she?” Sylvanas replied. “I cannot see why I should care.”

“She is still a powerful mage,” Go’el said. “And not one you’d easily kill. She has no need of a weapon, after all.”

“You think so little of me.” The derision was thick in Sylvanas’s words, but Jaina could see it as they flicked over to her, quickly sizing her up.

“I think you are both quite capable, but there are few in this world like her, and despite our differences, she would not stand idly by and-”

“If you are so confident I’m going to save your collective asses,” Jaina began, lifting a hand and snapping her fingers in a gesture that coalesced ice above her hand, “then get the fuck out of here. All of you.”

“Jaina…” Anduin began.

“Surely you’re not all ignorant enough to understand that if something like this goes down that there won’t be collateral damage.”

“Interesting,” Sylvanas said, pausing in her stalking. “And you would defend these people who waste their time on PR statements and buying the silence of those they’ve hurt?”

“I’m suggesting a private party,” Jaina replied, crossing her arms and cocking her hip to the side. “You and I can settle tonight’s matter.”

There was a long moment of silence, the hush settling back over the room.

They stared, Jaina’s cold blue eyes locked with Sylvanas’s unnatural red.

“You don’t have to do this, Jaina,” Anduin finally spoke, words swift after his efforts to continue to contain himself failed.

“Not your choice, Anduin.”

“Bold of you to assume I’ll let them go,” Sylvanas said, her lip curling up in a smirk.

 _What’s she playing at?_ Jaina asked herself, furrowing her brow. _She could have just opened up if she was after their lives, but she seems happy enough toying with the idea._

“Not a problem,” Jaina said. “I can remove them.”

“What?” Genn’s attention was quite immediately on Jaina, the first it had left Sylvanas since she had shown herself.

“How can you possibly?” Lor’themar said, voice laden with doubt.

“Stay if you want to find out,” Jaina said, raising her hand with a scintillant glow emanating from it.

“There’s no mage alive that can just teleport that many people,” came a voice from near the bar. The accent could only belong to a dwarf; Moira, Jaina assumed.

“Bold of you to assume I can’t.” Jaina allowed herself a smug twist of her lips at borrowing some of Sylvanas’s words, meeting the elf’s eyes again.

It piqued Sylvanas’s curiosity.

It was of course common knowledge that the various CEOs and companies had as much interest in digging daggers in one another’s backs as they did in profit and controlling the markets, but she was practically threatening them with help.

“Fine.”

It was hard to tell if Lor’themar was genuinely concerned, or simply over dealing with the situation, but he was the first to speak up as he turned toward the dull red glow of the emergency exit stairwell.

“Show her we’re not to be intimidated,” Go’el said, his large hand giving a supportive squeeze at Jaina’s shoulder.

She wasn’t sure when he’d gotten so close, and she winced inwardly, frustrated at having let it happen. Pacifying herself with gritted teeth, she nodded.

“Go’el,” she said quietly, looking over to him.

“Yes, Jaina?”

“Don’t you ever fucking throw me under the bus like that again. Do you understand?” There was lethality in her words that Go’el could swear he felt pulse through the room.

“What? Jaina, it was the best way to help us all, and get us-”

“Get out,” she growled, sparks of arcane light dancing along her fingertips..

“...We can discuss it later,” he assented, pensive concern etched briefly on his face.

She shook her head, disgust plain on her face, but it soon subsided into the background as she focused on Sylvanas.

It only took a few minutes for the rest of the guests to file out, murmurs and glances washing over both Jaina and Sylvanas as they took control of the room.

Even when only the two of them remained, the silence reigned for a few more long moments.

“Well that’s enough of this part of the game,” Sylvanas said finally, as the two women remained opposite one another.

Some of the lights hummed back to life, adding a pale hue that restored some of the detail to the dim room.

Jaina had never seen the infamous Sylvanas Windrunner in person before.

There had been the occasional portrait in corporate profiles, even a few photos from various events where she had attended. In each of them there was beauty, even under the weight of obligation that seemed to never acquiesce to allowing her a smile in the pictures.

The elf was dressed well, Jaina observed. She wore long black slacks, tailored with silver threading that were tucked into polished, slender boots that she suspected were real leather. Her long coat, similarly black, was expertly cut to accentuate her slight frame, and rested over a cleanly tailored silk shirt of regal purple.

For someone with pallid, deathy skin her hair was well maintained, the silver lengths tied back in a ponytail. Her features were sharp, and Jaina suspected they were lovely even bearing the scars of whatever had caused such damage to her body.

 _No,_ Jaina decided. _She’s still beautiful._

“I’d be more inclined to be entertained if I knew what the game even was,” Jaina said, uncrossing her arms to rest a hand on her hip.

“Is that so?” Sylvanas took a single step closer, lifting a hand so she could rest her fingers against her own chin. “Should I see to it that you’re entertained”

“I’m not inclined to waste my reserves of arcane power in a fight where I haven’t even been clued into the reason behind,” she replied, a thin frown overtaking her expression.

It earned a single nod from Sylvanas, but it was joined with an upward tug at her lips.

“It is the greatest game of all,” Sylvanas said. “It’s a game of power, of proving that no matter how hard that self-serving collection of bastards has kicked me, that I will be the one who comes out on top.”

Jaina pursed her lips briefly, shrugging.

“And you’re not self-serving?”

“Not entirely,” Sylvanas replied, and Jaina swore she could pinpoint a note of sincerity in her words. “But this is about fate, if you want to call it that. My company is all survivors of what Lordaeron Chem and Pharma did, and I will not let any of our destinies be written by the people that denied us at our lowest.”

“LCP,” Jaina whispered, closing her eyes for a moment.

Only for a moment.

She was not possessed of enough trust for more than that.

“You’re familiar?”

“It’s complicated,” Jaina replied. “Don’t worry. I was never part of them.”

“I see. So you’re familiar with-”

“Please don’t.” Jaina shook her head, a buried plea in her voice. “If you can say that, then we have at least something in common.”

There was a heavy pause, the room suddenly stifling again.

“I see,” Sylvanas echoed.

“So what are we going to do, then?” Jaina took a moment to stretch her arms out to the side, then cracked her knuckles.

“That won’t be necessary,” Sylvanas said, shaking her head once. “Perhaps there are better ways to address this. Cooperation?”

“I’ve been burned too many times.”

Sylvanas tilted her head to the side, long ears giving a single twitch.

“And I haven’t?”

“Then why offer something like that?”

Sylvanas gave a quiet sigh, but her eyes did not leave Jaina. There was something searching in her gaze, and Jaina found she could not help but mirror the sigh.

The quiet reverie felt destined to overtake their standoff, but it could not last forever. Jaina pondered how long it was going to take a High Threat Response Team to show up, and try to put down one or both of them. Sylvanas would be their primary aim, but she doubted they would be concerned if she was caught in the crossfire.

It was a glimmer of light from outside that caught Sylvanas’s eyes first, and it was that which finally diverted her attention.

From one of the other high-rise buildings, a digital display flashed numerals.

The countdown.

 _Fuck,_ Jaina thought. _I figured I’d at least find someone to entertain me for two seconds at midnight._

It was an irritating complication to an already irritating evening, though she had to admit, she had enjoyed causing a bit of chaos herself. It was unfortunate that Sylvanas was likely going to have proven the more memorable interruption for the night.

 **15** , the display read.

“This isn’t exactly what I had planned on for when the clock hit zero,” Sylvanas said, an annoyed sneer on her face.

“Yeah well, not exactly my plan either, Windrunner.” Maybe, though, there was still an option.

 **10**.

“What was your plan?”

Jaina angled her head slightly, and gave an amused huff. “Do you really want to know?” 

“I’m not in the habit of asking questions I don’t want answers to.”

 **5**.

“I could show you.”

 **4**.

“Oh?”

 **3**.

“Yes.”

 **2**.

A slender, white eyebrow arched up as Jaina stepped closer to Sylvanas.

 **1**.

Quite close.

Into her personal space.

 **0**.

In that instant, Jaina raised up a hand, fingers slipping around the back of Sylvanas’s neck with a gentle, firm touch that caught her completely by surprise. In the same moment, Jaina’s warm, soft lips captured hers with a pleasantly yielding pressure. 

Sylvanas could smell the curious comingling of the scents of old books and tea leaves.

Jaina was rewarded with no hesitation as Sylvanas swiftly realized the play, returning the kiss with cool lips that contrasted with her own heat. There was a faintly metallic tang, a tingling of the senses, that Jaina found far more tasteful than she had expected.

She felt Sylvanas rest a hand on her hip, the kiss soon extending far longer than either had dared to anticipate.

When they parted, Sylvanas had the beginnings of a conceited grin.

“Not what I expected, I admit,” Sylvanas said.

“I took a chance, yes.” Jaina had to blink away the rush of satisfaction washing through her.

It had been a good kiss.

It could have used a bit more depth, she conceded.

“I am not disappointed in your gambit’s outcome.”

Jaina raised an eyebrow.

“Would you like another shot at it, then?”

Sylvanas quirked her lips to the side, as if laboriously pondering the question.

Then, she gave a shrug.

“If you can offer a suitable arena for a round two. I think my message here has been delivered.” After all, they had all been forced to flee, and that meant she had achieved her show of power and influence over them.

“I think I can,” Jaina said, nodding once. “Are you sure you trust me to relocate us?”

“Not at all,” Sylvanas replied, “but I will consider giving you that power as compensation for making this go much better than even I had hoped.”

“Fantastic,” Jaina replied, a hint of excitement breaking into her voice.

“Tell me, though…”

“Tell you what?”

“Where would you have sent all of them? You know, assuming you can really do that.”

Jaina laughed, and shrugged.

“Well, we’re right by a bay.”

Sylvanas snorted out a quick laugh, before holding up a single finger as if to ward off the idea it had happened. She could not afford it compromising her reputation, after all.

“I think this might be an interesting thing we’ve started,” the elf said. “Now, I think you are as aware as I am that it’s time to make ourselves scarce.”

Jaina was already calling arcane power to herself, free hand sliding to Sylvanas’s waist. She had not forgotten her concern about heavily armed corporate enforcers arriving at any moment.

“I have a much better scene than this one in mind,” Jaina said. 

At her words, the flow of energy peaked, white light carrying them far from the abandoned penthouse.

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being longer than I expected for a New Year's Eve prompt, but I ain't even mad. It was surprisingly fun.
> 
> You can find me on twitter as @archaema for my normal writing, or as @shadysuccubus on the NSFW side.
> 
> Questions, comments, kudos, etc. are welcome, as always.


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